12 Invasive Plants You Don't Want In Your Yard

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Invasive Plants

Some invasive plants spread rapidly, out-competing the flowers you’ve actually planted. Others are toxic, causing a rash upon contact. Some weeds can actually be good for pollinators, even if they interrupt an otherwise clear, green lawn. Here are some of the most invasive weeds and what to do about them. For a gardener, there’s nothing worse than watching your hard work get overrun with weeds. Try these methods to avoid or control the growth of invasive garden plants in your garden.

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Poison Ivy

Leaflets three, let it be. Good advice for the majority of people who are allergic to these invasive plants.

Some harmless plants are mistaken for poison ivy (young box elder seedlings, for instance), but you’ll know for sure if you develop an itchy rash after coming in contact with the sap, which contains urushiol. Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) and the related poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) spread not only by underground runners but also by seeds dispersed by birds.

Treat with an herbicide labeled for poison ivy. Or wear protective clothing and disposable gloves and dig it up by hand, discarding with the trash.